


Kiss me (underneath the mistletoe)

by serendipitous_rambles



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-07
Updated: 2019-07-07
Packaged: 2020-06-24 00:48:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19712917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serendipitous_rambles/pseuds/serendipitous_rambles
Summary: Mike and El reunite for Christmas





	Kiss me (underneath the mistletoe)

**Author's Note:**

> I love that El has a family now... but I'm still sad she has to be apart from Mike again

Mike anxiously paced up and down the hall, checking his watch every two seconds.

"Mike!" His mom spotted him on her way to the kitchen. "Relax, honey."

He looked at her and nodded, moving to sit on the couch. But his leg began bouncing nervously.

He tugged at his Christmas sweater. The wool was scratchy and suddenly claustrophobic. 

El and the Byers were supposed to be here by now. He hadn't seen El since Thanksgiving. Ok that was about a month ago but it felt longer. She'd been so happy with the Byers and it made him happy to see that. He just wished she was happier while being closer to him.

The doorbell rang and Mike bolted up from the couch. He stopped to check his hair in the mirror before answering the door. 

"Merry Christmas!" Joyce stood holding a bag of presents, but Mike looked over her to see El. 

She was wearing the sweater ( _ his _ sweater) he had left at hers when he was there for Thanksgiving, her cheeks flushed a little from the cold perhaps. She looked at him with a shy smile.

"Joyce!" Mrs Wheeler came up behind Mike, welcoming the Byers into the house. 

Will stepped in, hugging Mike as he passed. Jonathan nodded a smile before giving Nancy a tight hug as she just came down the stairs.

That left El at the doorstep, clutching a small gift.

"I got you this." She held it up to him but he wrapped his arms around her waist, squeezing her tightly as if he never wanted to let her go. Which he didn't. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on just as tightly. They stood there silently clutching each other in the doorway, Mike burying his head against her shoulder as she pressed up on her tiptoes.

"They saw each other just a month ago." Will whispered and Joyce put an arm around him. 

"They're in love." She said, watching the two of them cling to each other wordlessly.

"Still gross." Will laughed, and followed Jonathan to the kitchen. Joyce lingered slightly, sighing as she watched Mike and El.

She would hear El in the evenings laughing on the phone for hours, no doubt talking to Mike. The distance had been good for them, allowing them to figure out who they were for themselves. But it made some nights hard. El would wake up calling for Mike sometimes, or worse... she'd call for Hop. 

But Joyce was there every time to comfort her, knowing all too well the pain of losing loved ones. She'd stay up late with El, letting her talk about Mike, things she missed about him or what she was looking forward to. It made her feel better when the distance felt too much. 

Joyce swallowed the lump in her throat and also followed into the kitchen.

"I missed you." Mike finally said, and El tightened her grip ever so slightly.

"I missed you too."

"Should probably close the door now," he mumbled against her shoulder. No intention of moving. "My dad will complain about the heat getting out."

"Don't want to be cold." She sighed against him.

Finally he gave in and released his arms from her to close the door. He took her jacket and hung it on the coat rack. He noticed how her hair was now almost past her shoulders, but still retained some of its curls.  _ Still pretty _ , he thought.

El handed him the gift she'd been holding.

"Oh, thank you." He held it in his hands. "I have your gift. Not on me. But...but there. Under the tree." He stammered, scratching the back of his neck. "I did get you something though and-"

She laughed and as she looked up at him still rambling, she noticed something green dangling above them. Mistletoe. Last Christmas she'd hung mistletoe all over the cabin whenever Mike visited. Hopper hadn't found it funny...She closed her eyes and sighed, trying to ignore the ache in her chest. Instead she focused on Mike. How goofy he was sometimes. 

"Mike."

"And you can return it if you don't like it I can-"

"Mike!" She laughed, cupping his cheeks to stop him talking.

"Yeah?"

She looked up and he followed her eyes to see the mistletoe. 

"Oh," he smiled. 

He tilted his head as she pressed on her toes still cupping his cheeks. She kissed him slowly, remembering how much she'd missed this. He still hadn't told her those words. But she knew he felt them. She could tell by the way he kissed her. 

It was alright, she could wait. She knew he loved her and he knew she loved him. And that was enough for now. They had all the time in the world.


End file.
